Clydesdale vs Jotul 550

dhdd said:

Hello Everyone,

First time looking at Wood Stove inserts after the cold winter and have narrowed down to two that are preferred. However, I am undecided upon which one to get and would like some comparison opinions from people.

House is around 3K sq ft
Open floor plan
Fireplace is in center of living room

Both are good inserts from the reviews but the Clydesdale is ~400 dollars more expensive. I am wondering if that if it is that much better than the jotul?

Thanks

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Unless this stove isn't going to be the primary heat source, I would go larger for a 3k sq ft home.

dhdd said:

It will not be the primary heat source. We spend most of our time on the first floor and in the living/family room area and that is where the insert will be located at. Larger stoves will not fit in the fireplace and we do not want a free standing unit (no where to put it, perhaps in the next house).

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Okay. Then both will work well.

If I had to chose I would go with the Jotul since I prefer flush mounted inserts. But others have raved about the Clydsdale.

I like the looks of the Jotul a little better and it also has a larger fire box which may work out better for your large home. $400 less would also help out my decision.

Looked at both when we were doing our research. The retailer had them on display right next to one another and we opted for the Jotul. The wife preferred the looks of the 550 over the Clydesdale. I think we would have been happy with either insert. Clydesdale has nice glass for viewing the fire, but Jotul might have the edge in the size of the firebox, but don't hold me to that, my memory could be off.
A couple other factors to consider are the cord and the door swing. The Jotul door only swings one way and the Clydesdale is reversible.
It may very well come down to aesthetics. Good luck.

BrowningBAR said:

dhdd said:

It will not be the primary heat source. We spend most of our time on the first floor and in the living/family room area and that is where the insert will be located at. Larger stoves will not fit in the fireplace and we do not want a free standing unit (no where to put it, perhaps in the next house).

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Okay. Then both will work well.

If I had to chose I would go with the Jotul since I prefer flush mounted inserts. But others have raved about the Clydsdale.

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The Clydesdale can be flush mounted, most are not to maximize the heat radiating from the front.

I would go with the Clydesdale because thats what I have, it will probably come down to what your significant other thinks will look better, both are great units from the reviews on here.

Both available from the same dealer? For the smallish difference in price I would buy from the dealer I felt most comfortable with. If they were both sold by the same dealer I would make my decision based on:

"Which one do you think looks better honey?"

Both excellent inserts, both made by excellent companies.

I never saw them side by side, but I have always been impressed with the glass size on the Clydesdale.

dhdd said:

I think that is where the dilemma is, both are good units and we like what each one offers. The significant other likes the Jotul and I like the Clydesdale. Does the soapstone really make a difference? The 400 dollars is a consideration also for the significant one.

Thanks for all the feedback.

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The soapstones I'm sure make some difference, hearthstone claims an extra 2 hours of heat life which may be a bit optimistic, but the clydesdale is essentially a cast iron insert same as the Jotul. When I bought mine in early fall there was a factory incentive/sale on all hearthstone stoves so the price was about $400 cheaper than the Jotul. Someone here may know if they do that every year.

We have had a 550 in our centrally located fireplace on the second floor of a raised ranch. It more than adequately heats the entire upstairs (large living room, dining room and kitchen as well as the back bedroom. We heat 24/7 with it. We have had no repairs yet. Very satisfied with the unit. We do keep the fan on manual all the time.

My guess is that it is going to depend on the aesthetics of the room.

I went with a Jotul 550, and after three seasons and 7ish cords I'm satisfied with the looks and performance of the unit.

I'd be skeptical of dealers; shop around, it's a competitive market. In choosing between dealers I'd weigh cost more heavily than service, I've yet to have a need to contact the shop I bought my unit from for service.

dhdd said:

How long does the Jotul take to reach high temps and how long does the Clydesdale take? The significant other just informed me that she would like the fireplace insert to heat up quicker but would like the heat to be retained longer. Is that even possible?

Has anyone with the Clydesdale have their soapstone break/crack due to high temp?
Does the protrusion on the Clydesdale (where the fan and damper controls are) get hot?

It may just come down to aesthetics or cost since the Clydesdale is better looking but costs more.

Thanks

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It typically takes 20 - 30 minutes to reach "cruising" temperature when I cut the air back on a reload with the clydesdale.

No breaks/cracks in any of my soapstones
The controls do not get hot at all, but the ash lip just above the controls will get hot.